From Being to Light

You were one of my beloved teachers, an instructor of Somatic Bodywork, movement, and dream exploration. After you passed, a wake was held at your home, a sacred space was created for our community to come together for a final farewell. My best friend and I attended together.

We walked into the quiet house. Many of our colleagues and classmates were in attendance, you were surrounded by people silently standing vigil. My friend and I stood close to one another, and as we settled ourselves into the quiet circle of people around you, we grabbed for each others hands in awe and wonder.

Your body was luminous, almost glowing in the same way you had glowed in life. A radiance emanated from your still body.

You appeared to be light, not all the way here, not all the way gone. Maybe you were levitating, or your body was dissolving into light.

At some points I wondered if some of your essence remained, because it felt as if your personality was in the room. I could hear your soft exclamation of “Ah!.” I was able to sense, perhaps even feel you there, with us. Later, my friend and I would wonder as to what exactly it was we witnessed that day.

I like to think that you were there. That you delighted in the ritual and sacredness created around your death, and honored our grief as important. I certainly felt your presence, and can still easily recall the timber of your voice and the way you could fill a room with your authentic joyfulness.